Soursop leaves are the leaves of the Annona muricata L tree, which grows to be between 4 and 6 meters tall and belongs to the Annonaceae botanical family.
They are simple leaves that are oblong or egg-shaped, elliptical in shape, and range in length from 5 to 15 cm.
This species is native to the Americas' tropical regions, and it is particularly common in the Amazon. It is usually grown for medical purposes.
Depending on the country of origin, the leaves have diverse ethnomedicinal purposes.
The most common uses in traditional medicine, which have been scientifically validated in pre-clinical tests, are for inflammation, pain, infections, diabetes, and cancer, and the leaves of this tree have been processed into soursop leaves tea, which is made by boiling the leaves and drinking the resulting water.
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SOURSOP LEAVES TEA HEALTH BENEFITS
Now, what exactly do these leaves do to the human body that they need to be made into a liquid tea for human consumption? We have 10 health benefits to drinking soursop leaf tea for you.
IMPROVE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
The capacity of soursop to strengthen and boost immune systems is the first and perhaps most sought-after advantage.
Its high vitamin C content aids in the fight against infections while also preserving your skin from oxidative damage. Soursop has more antioxidants than just vitamin C.
The fruit also contains the following ingredients:
- Phytosterols can help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Tannins have antibacterial properties.
- Flavonoids are antioxidants that regulate cell activity and fight free radicals.
FIGHTS INFLAMMATION
Free radicals in your body can induce stress and inflammation in addition to causing illness. Soursop tea's antioxidant benefits are beneficial to your overall health, not simply your immune system.
They can also aid with chronic inflammatory disorders like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and arthritis.
HEALTHFUL DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The fibre in soursop (up to 7.4 grams per cup) may help with constipation. Keeping your blood sugar levels stable, also slows down digestion and keeps you from seeking sugary snacks.
According to some studies, soursop can help prevent heart disease by decreasing cholesterol levels.
Furthermore, the antiviral and anti-parasitic properties of soursop keep intestinal worms and other parasites out of your GI system.
STABILIZES BLOOD PRESSURE:
Soursop has a lot of potassium (up to 626 mg per cup) and a lot of iron. These substances operate in tandem to reduce high blood pressure.
Iron aids in the regulation of a normal heartbeat and stress, while potassium promotes improved blood circulation.
A series of clinical investigations involving 143 test subjects indicated that individuals who drank soursop juice on a daily basis were less likely to have prehypertension, hypertension, or excessively high SUA levels.
HELPS PREVENT CANCER
Finally, we'll discuss a huge potential health advantage of drinking soursop tea, but we must point out that there aren't nearly enough clinical studies or research to back this up.
Despite this, many people believe that soursop leaves can be used to treat, prevent, and even "cure" cancer.
Why do some people believe it? Soursop extract has been shown in research to diminish the growth of breast cancer tumours.
Soursop was reported to stop the production of leukaemia cells in a 2014 study.
ANTIBACTERIAL
Soursop may have antibacterial properties. An extract has the ability to kill a wide spectrum of microorganisms, including those that cause gum disease and cavities, according to one study.
Soursop extracts, according to another study, may help in the fight against cholera and Staphylococcus infections.
Even though these were test-tube tests, the results are promising, and more research is needed.
FOR NUTRITION
Soursop is high in important vitamins and minerals, which many people use to complement their diets and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and copper are among the vitamins and minerals mentioned.
One soursop berry has the following nutrients:
- Calorie count: 413
- 6 grams of protein
- 2 grams of fat
- 105 grams of carbohydrates
- 21 grams of fibre
- 85 grams of sugar
BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL STABILIZATION
Soursop has been demonstrated in animal studies to help regulate blood sugar levels. Diabetic rats were given soursop extract for two weeks in one study.
Blood sugar levels in those who received the extract were five times lower than in those who were not.
In another study, diabetic rats were given soursop extract, which decreased blood sugar levels by up to 75%.
FOR MAKING DRINKS
Making refreshing soursop drinks is quite popular across the tropics (called champola in Brazil; carato in Puerto Rico).
The seeded pulp can be strained in cheesecloth or pressed in a strainer to extract the rich, creamy juice, which is then whipped with milk or water and sweetened.
Alternatively, the seeded pulp can be blended with equal parts hot water, filtered, and sweetened.
FOR FOOD
It's reported that the strained pulp is a delicacy when blended with wine or brandy and seasoned with nutmeg.
Soursop juice mixed with gelatin makes for a delicious dessert. A soursop custard is popular in the Dominican Republic, as is a dessert created by heating soursop pulp in sugar syrup with cinnamon and lemon peel.
In warm areas, soursop ice cream is typically frozen in refrigerator ice cube trays. It's created in the Bahamas by mashing the pulp with water, letting it sit for a while, then filtering out the fibrous material and seeds.
- The ripe fruit juice is reported to be a diuretic and used to treat haematuria and urethritis.
- When taken while fasting, it is thought to help with liver problems and leprosy.
- Dysentery is treated with pulverized immature fruits, which are particularly astringent.
- The flesh of acid soursop is placed as a poultice for 3 days to pull out chiggers and hasten to heal.
- Soursop leaves are recognized as having sedative or soporific characteristics across the West Indies, despite the fact that its sobering or tranquillizing composition has not been widely studied.
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS OF SOURSOP LEAVES TEA
Although soursop is a very medicinal fruit, it does have certain negative side effects when consumed in big quantities.
When used in large amounts, it might cause symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, and also lead to:
- Muscles that are rigid.
- A person's personality changes.
- Movement is sluggish.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Issues with balance and gait
The seeds should not be eaten because they contain 45 per cent of yellow non-drying oil that is an irritating toxin that can cause serious eye inflammation, and the substances present in the extracts and teas can also interfere with drugs for high blood pressure and diabetes.
WHAT CAN SOURSOP LEAVES CURE?
It has anticancer characteristics as a result of its high medical benefits, and some people use it to cure infections, coughs, weight loss, herpes, inflammation of the nose and throat, and parasite infections like lice. Others may use soursop fruit to induce vomiting or relax the body.
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IN CONCLUSION
Soursop has been farmed for decades to make anything from cooking oils to soaps and herbal medications.
It was employed as fertility medication, a remedy for disease, an insecticide, and much more in ancient times.
Many of the original uses of soursop are still supported by research, and many people have included soursop tea in their herbal product collection.
This fruit may have some significant health benefits when combined with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.